10 Bad Outdoor Sauna Mistakes to Avoid

10 Tips for Great Sauna Building

We have seen many bad mistakes that people have made with their sauna building projects since our founding as a sauna manufacturer in 1974.

Now we have turned some of these history lessons into tips to ensure your sauna building project will be a good one! Keep in mind, there are very few sauna companies who have helped over 65,000 sauna customers get their indoor and outdoor saunas installed.
So, here's the biggest tip: avoid mistakes - buy here and get our full support! ...

Warm Regards,
Sauna-Guru.

Top Tip - How to Avoid Sauna Mistakes - The Internet Has Lots of Bad Info

Most of the writers of so-called "sauna facts" are simply paid writers - they don't have to be sauna users or sauna lovers. To write solid factual articles about saunas requires knowledge, experience and real on-the-job training or should I say "in-the-sauna" time, preferably with the pros - the Finns who know this subject best. The internet calls for thousands of sauna articles to feed the search engines so writers churn out sauna articles on a virtual assembly-line basis. This article is written by a Finn sauna lover - not a paid writer.

Buying an Infrared Sauna for Outdoor Use is the Biggest Mistake of all!
Infrared saunas do not work outdoors when the temperature drops 7 to 15 degrees (or more) below indoor room temperature.

Be aware that infrared saunas work fine in a normal indoor room temperature or outdoors in the summer -
BUT NOT IN WINTER WHEN IT IS COLD! If you are tempted to buy one, get a written money-back guarantee that the seller will take it back when you are not happy with the unit. The Sauna-Guru sold thousands of infrared saunas from 2005 to 2010. Three (3) were sold as outdoor units to Virginia, Georgia and Florida. Eventually every customer wanted their money back. They got full refunds - the infrared units were simply not up to the job in cold weather!
If you are happy to have 5 months use out of it, then go ahead with your purchase. Oh, I should mention that because they are built in China, they are not built for the winter weather we have in the USA and Canada.

#2 Tip - Sauna Mistake: Don't Install a GFCI on Your Electric Sauna

Never install a GFI or GFCI on your electric outdoor sauna heater circuit. It is not required to be there by code. The GFCI will trip often whenever you throw some water on the hot sauna stones! I just saved you $140.

If you are building a custom outdoor hot rock sauna, keep the floor area footage of your entire structure below 100 square feet. This way you do not need a building permit. Do verify this with your local building inspection authority.

#4 Tip - Best Outdoor Sauna: Best Custom Size is 8'x12'

Most communities apply a 100 square foot maximum for an outdoor building - you do not need a permit to build if you are not exceeding the 100sq ft size. It is actually perfect for an outdoor hot rock sauna - as an 8'x12' building is ideal for a sauna with a change room and a place to keep wood for the fire inside where it will be nice and dry! The 8'x12' is correctly proportioned and still small enough to keep the project economical.

Outdoor Saunas - Barrel, Prefab & Custom Made ...

Many people have space in their backyards for a Finnish hot rock sauna. Or a sauna for the cottage? Avoid infrared - they do not get hot enough for outdoor use!

#5 Tip - Outdoor Sauna Caution: Wood-fired Sauna Chimneys

Most outdoor saunas are heated by a wood-burning rock sauna heater. The chimney will need to be inspected by the local authority on the WETT installation of a wood-burning stove to ensure that the chimney is correctly installed according to the code used by the local inspector.

#6 Tip - Outdoor Sauna Caution: Sauna Floors under Wood-fired Stoves

Never install a wood-burning rock heater on top of a concrete patio slab that is on top of the wood floor. Sauna heaters and wood burning stoves are very efficient so the area below the sauna stove will heat up the concrete patio stone. It has been known to ignite the wooden sauna floor about 8 hours later. So, have your marsh mellows on standby!

#7 Tip - Sauna Mistake: Bad Sauna Lights

If you have electricity, I recommend using 2 wall light fixtures - the type that are heavy duty with special gaskets for surface mounting. With 2 lights, you have balanced lighting inside the sauna room and you can use a dimmer to control the sauna light - subdued. Stay away from ceiling pot lights - their installation requires you to not insulate around the pot because of its heat build up. A sauna needs to be well insulated in the ceiling!
If you are off the grid, use a coal oil lamp set on a small window shelf on the sauna window. If the sauna is a 8x12 that is a sauna room and a dressing room, the lamp will provide warm lighting for both area.

#8 Tip - Sauna Mistake: A New One Coming Next Week!

Visit us again - next week for more ...More tips are available from the Sauna Guru Team on a one-on-one basis as they move the project along. This is where our experience makes the difference. We have lots more tips!

#9 Tip - For Best Saunas - Custom Built - Get "The Art of Sauna Building"

Get the BIBLE for Sauna Builders - the Best-Seller Sauna Building Book with the Plans & Techniques that Make it Easy for you!

Over 65,000 saunas have been built using this industry bible. The sauna book, "The Art of Sauna Building", shows you all the details for: Sauna Construction, How to Build an Outdoor Sauna, Sauna Installation, Do It Yourself Outdoor Sauna, Building a Sauna, How To Build Outdoor Sauna, Building Outdoor Saunas, How to Make a Sauna and Build Outdoor Steam Saunas.

Get the BIBLE for Sauna Builders - the Best-Seller Sauna Building Book with the Plans & Techniques that Make it Easy for you!

#10 Tip - Sauna Kits: Buy Here!

The hot rock sauna project has the most custom variables of any of the sauna building projects. It will pay you to have real experts with credentials available to support your project. So, buy your sauna kit here at Home Saunas Since 1974 where our experience from 65,000 saunas since 1974 will make a big difference for you!

Credentials are Important - Get the Sauna-Guru Team guiding your project ...

Our company founder, born in Finland and raised in Canada, is respected as a sauna industry founder by his peers in the U.S.A. and Canada. His companies, including
Home Saunas Since 1974, have been manufacturing and selling high-quality saunas to sauna enthusiasts around the world. At last count, over 65,000 sauna customers have made use of our products and expertise.
Our sauna products can be found in 28 countries in the world, including Finland.

Telephone us, Email or Visit usWe have resumed full service after the govt ordered shut-down. We are now experiencing high volumes of calls and sauna orders. Sauna orders are being shipped every day.

** See the LINKS to RESPOND at the top of this Column.

Customer Reviews

Sauna Kit Customer Says: "Thanks for your great customer service & for making an amazing product. Our outdoor sauna is built and we are using it daily & loving it. It was a pleasure working with you!" ... Read More

Sauna Review: "My wife is Finnish and says that is the most professional sauna she has ever seen!" ... Read More

Sauna Kit Customer Says: "Thanks for your great customer service & for making an amazing product. Our outdoor sauna is built and we are using it daily & loving it. It was a pleasure working with you!" ... Read More

Sauna Review: "My wife is Finnish and says that is the most professional sauna she has ever seen!" ... Read More